Reinforced Cement Concrete Design MCQs 2026

IS 456 applies to

1. Aonly steel structures✓
2. Bonly soil mechanics✓
3. Conly timber roofs✓
4. Dplain and reinforced concrete design✓

Characteristic compressive strength of concrete fck is defined at

1. A7 days only✓
2. Binstantaneous load✓
3. C28 days cylinder/cube test as per code✓
4. D365 days only✓

Grade M25 concrete means

1. Amean strength 25 after 7 days only✓
2. Btensile strength 25✓
3. Csteel yield 25✓
4. Dcharacteristic cube strength 25 N/mm²✓

Partial safety factor for concrete in limit state design (IS 456) is typically

1. A1.15 only always✓
2. B1.0✓
3. C1.5 for strength✓
4. D2.0 for serviceability✓

Partial safety factor for steel reinforcement is typically

1. A1.5✓
2. B1.0✓
3. C2.0✓
4. D1.15✓

Limit state of collapse in RCC deals with

1. Aonly deflection✓
2. Bonly cracking width only✓
3. Conly colour of formwork✓
4. Dstrength and stability✓

Limit state of serviceability includes

1. Adeflection and cracking✓
2. Bonly ultimate moment capacity✓
3. Conly bond only at ULS✓
4. Donly cover✓

Balanced section in RCC beam means

1. Aonly concrete crushes first always✓
2. Bonly steel yields with no concrete stress✓
3. Csteel reaches yield simultaneously with concrete reaching ultimate strain✓
4. Dno tension steel✓

Under-reinforced beam fails by

1. Ayielding of steel first✓
2. Bsudden compression crushing without warning✓
3. Cshear only always✓
4. Dbond only✓

Over-reinforced beam fails by

1. Asteel yielding first✓
2. Bpure shear always✓
3. Cdeflection only✓
4. Dbrittle crushing of concrete✓

Minimum cover in RCC for durability and bond as per IS 456 depends on

1. Aonly bar diameter✓
2. Bonly span length✓
3. Conly paint colour✓
4. Dexposure condition and member type✓

Nominal cover for mild exposure to reinforced column may be taken as

1. A40 mm (typical code value; verify table)✓
2. B10 mm always✓
3. Czero✓
4. D200 mm always✓

Effective depth d of beam is

1. Aoverall depth minus cover and half bar diameter (main steel)✓
2. Btotal depth always✓
3. Cwidth of beam✓
4. Dspan length✓

Lever arm z in singly reinforced rectangular beam approximates

1. A0.5d always✓
2. B2d✓
3. Czero✓
4. D0.9d or d(1 − 0.42 xu/d)✓

Maximum strain in concrete at extreme fibre per IS 456 is taken about

1. A0.0035 in bending✓
2. B0.35✓
3. C0.00035✓
4. D0.035✓

Modular ratio m for M20 and Fe415 steel (short-term) is approximately

1. A13.33 using Es/Ec✓
2. B1.5✓
3. C100✓
4. D0.5✓

Neutral axis depth xu in limit state design from

1. Aonly shear✓
2. Bforce equilibrium C=T✓
3. Conly development length✓
4. Donly cover✓

Maximum xu/d ratio for Fe415 to avoid over-reinforcement is about

1. A0.9✓
2. B0.1✓
3. C0.48✓
4. D1.0✓

Design tensile stress in steel on limit state is taken as

1. A0.87 fy✓
2. Bfy only without factor✓
3. C0.36 fck✓
4. Dfck✓

Design compressive block stress in concrete is taken as

1. A0.87 fy b d✓
2. B0.36 fck b xu (rectangular stress block)✓
3. Cfck b d without factor✓
4. Dzero✓

Doubly reinforced section is used when

1. Aonly to reduce cover✓
2. Bonly for slabs always✓
3. Conly for zero load✓
4. Dmoment exceeds limiting moment of singly reinforced section✓

Compression reinforcement in doubly reinforced beam helps

1. Aincrease moment capacity and reduce long-term deflection/creep effects✓
2. Bonly reduce steel weight always✓
3. Celiminate shear✓
4. Dremove cover✓

Shear reinforcement in beams is required when

1. Anominal shear stress exceeds concrete shear capacity✓
2. BBM is zero✓
3. Conly in slabs✓
4. Donly in columns always✓

Nominal shear stress τv equals

1. AMu/(b d)✓
2. BT/J✓
3. CVu/(b d)✓
4. DP/A only✓

Bent-up bars provide

1. Aonly torsion only always✓
2. Bonly cover✓
3. Cshear resistance along inclined crack✓
4. Donly bond only✓

Vertical stirrups resist shear by

1. Aaggregate interlock and dowel action plus tension across crack✓
2. Bonly bending✓
3. Conly axial compression✓
4. Donly shrinkage✓

Spacing of shear reinforcement shall not exceed

1. A0.75d or 300 mm per IS 456 (whichever is less, for beams)✓
2. B2d always✓
3. C10 mm✓
4. Dspan length✓

Development length ensures

1. Aonly crack control✓
2. Bonly cover✓
3. Cproper transfer of bar force to concrete by bond✓
4. Donly torsion✓

Development length Ld is proportional to

1. Aspan only✓
2. Bfy and inversely to bond stress and bar diameter factors✓
3. Ccover only✓
4. Daggregate colour✓

Lap splice length is generally

1. Azero✓
2. Bgreater of development length and 30φ or code-specified✓
3. C5 mm✓
4. Dhalf span✓

Hooks and bends in bars improve

1. Aanchorage in end regions✓
2. Bonly shear in web always✓
3. Conly torsion in slab✓
4. Donly cover reduction✓

One-way slab is designed as

1. Aplate theory always✓
2. Btruss only✓
3. Csteel only✓
4. Dbeam of unit width spanning between supports✓

Two-way slab is used when

1. Aonly Ly/Lx > 3✓
2. Bonly for bridges steel✓
3. Cloads distribute in both directions (Ly/Lx ≤ 2 often)✓
4. Donly for retaining wall✓

Minimum steel in RCC slab on grade/hygiene is about

1. A5%✓
2. B0.12% of gross sectional area for HYSD (per IS 456 table)✓
3. Czero✓
4. D50%✓

Maximum steel in beams per IS 456 is about

1. A0.4%✓
2. B4% of gross area✓
3. C40%✓
4. Dno limit✓

Deflection control in RCC may use

1. Aspan/depth ratios modified for tension steel✓
2. Bonly increase cover✓
3. Conly reduce fck always✓
4. Dignore creep✓

Creep in concrete causes

1. Ainstant elastic deflection only✓
2. Bonly increase strength✓
3. Conly reduce cover✓
4. Dincreased long-term deflection under sustained load✓

Shrinkage in concrete leads to

1. Aonly increased fy✓
2. Bonly zero deflection✓
3. Ccracking if restrained✓
4. Donly higher fck instantly✓

Short column fails primarily by

1. Amaterial crushing (material failure)✓
2. Belastic buckling always✓
3. Conly shear✓
4. Donly bond✓

Long column design must consider

1. Aonly axial capacity without eccentricity✓
2. Bonly slab thickness✓
3. Cadditional moments due to slenderness (buckling effects)✓
4. Donly bolt grade✓

Effective length of column in frame depends on

1. Aonly bar diameter✓
2. Bonly w/c✓
3. Conly paint✓
4. Dend restraint coefficients✓

Minimum eccentricity for column design in IS 456 accounts for

1. Aimperfection and minimum moment✓
2. Bzero eccentricity always✓
3. Conly torsion in beam✓
4. Donly slab deflection✓

Braced column in building frame has

1. Alarge lateral drift✓
2. Bno vertical load✓
3. Csidesway prevented by bracing/shear walls✓
4. Donly timber✓

Unbraced column must be designed for

1. Aonly axial load without moments✓
2. Bsway moments in addition to gravity✓
3. Conly shear in slab✓
4. Donly development length✓

Spiral column refers to

1. Acircular column with spiral/helical ties for ductile confinement✓
2. Bonly rectangular tied✓
3. Conly steel H-section✓
4. Donly timber post✓

Tied column uses

1. Aonly spiral always✓
2. Blateral ties to restrain longitudinal bars✓
3. Conly plain concrete✓
4. Donly bolts✓

Lateral ties spacing in column shall not exceed

1. A10 m✓
2. Bzero✓
3. Cleast dimension of column or 16φ of longitudinal bar or 300 mm✓
4. Dspan of beam✓

Footing is designed for

1. Aonly axial steel truss✓
2. Bonly wind on roof only✓
3. Conly paint✓
4. Dbearing pressure, bending and shear (one/two-way)✓

One-way shear in footing checked at

1. Amid-span of column only✓
2. Bsection at distance d from column face✓
3. Csoil surface only✓
4. Dtop of grade beam only✓

Two-way punching shear in slab footing checked on

1. Acolumn centre only✓
2. Bfar edge of property✓
3. Conly at steel lap✓
4. Dperimeter at d/2 from column face✓

Cantilever retaining wall stability checks include

1. Aonly beam deflection✓
2. Boverturning, sliding and bearing pressure✓
3. Conly bolt tension✓
4. Donly truss zero force✓

Water-cement ratio primarily controls

1. Aonly bar diameter✓
2. Bonly stirrup spacing✓
3. Cstrength and durability of concrete✓
4. Donly steel grade✓

Workability of concrete is measured by

1. Aonly cube strength✓
2. Bslump test or compaction factor✓
3. Conly yield stress of steel✓
4. Donly cover depth✓

Nominal mix may be used for concrete up to grade

1. AM60 always✓
2. BM5 only✓
3. Cany grade without design✓
4. DM20 for general building as per IS 456 guidance✓

Design mix concrete is proportioned by

1. Aonly volume guess✓
2. Bonly colour✓
3. Conly aggregate shape only✓
4. Dtarget mean strength and durability requirements✓

Target mean strength fck + k·σ accounts for

1. Aonly steel yield✓
2. Bvariability in production✓
3. Conly cover✓
4. Donly lap length✓

Anchorage beyond bend follows

1. Azero length✓
2. Bfull span✓
3. Conly stirrups✓
4. Dcode provisions for straight length plus bend contribution✓

Curtailment of bars in beams follows

1. Arandom cut points✓
2. Bbending moment diagram envelope and development length beyond cut-off point✓
3. Cmid-support always only✓
4. Dzero anchorage✓

Bar bending schedule (BBS) provides

1. Aonly soil bearing✓
2. Bonly wind speed✓
3. Ccutting length, shape and number of bars✓
4. Donly bolt torque only✓

Staggered splices in tension bars avoid

1. Aincreasing development length to zero✓
2. Ball lap at same section✓
3. Conly compression✓
4. Dconcentration of weakness at one section✓

Torsion in RCC beam requires

1. Aonly minimum slab steel✓
2. Blongitudinal and transverse reinforcement per IS 456✓
3. Cno steel✓
4. Donly cover increase only✓

Equivalent bending moment for combined M and T uses

1. Aonly ignore torsion✓
2. Bonly axial force✓
3. CMt equivalent to increase design moment✓
4. Donly shrinkage✓

Crack width control uses

1. Aonly ULS steel area✓
2. Bbar spacing and cover limits in SLS✓
3. Conly zero cover✓
4. Donly w/c alone✓

Fire resistance in RCC improves with

1. Aincreased cover and member size✓
2. Breduced cover✓
3. Czero concrete✓
4. Donly smooth aggregate✓

Pre-tensioned concrete differs from post-tensioned in that

1. Asteel is tensioned before casting concrete in pretensioning✓
2. Bconcrete cast first always✓
3. Cno prestress loss✓
4. Donly RCC mild steel✓

Post-tensioning ducts allow

1. Atendons to be tensioned after concrete hardens✓
2. Bonly conventional rebar without jacking✓
3. Conly timber✓
4. Donly soil nails✓

Loss of prestress includes

1. Aonly live load✓
2. Bonly wind only✓
3. Conly bolt slip✓
4. Delastic shortening, creep, shrinkage and friction✓

Shear friction concept uses

1. Aonly Mohr circle✓
2. Bonly Euler buckling✓
3. Conly slump✓
4. Dμ times clamping force across interface✓

Raft foundation is used when

1. Asoil is rock always only✓
2. Bonly for steel towers only✓
3. Conly for one column always✓
4. Dindividual footings would overlap or bearing is low✓

Strip footing serves

1. Aonly isolated column always✓
2. Bonly pile cap only✓
3. Cload-bearing wall line✓
4. Donly truss node✓

Pile foundation transfers load to

1. Aonly topsoil always✓
2. Bonly air gap✓
3. Cdeeper competent stratum✓
4. Donly timber deck✓

Grade beam ties

1. Aonly slab top✓
2. Bpile heads and supports walls✓
3. Conly roof truss✓
4. Donly bolted steel only✓

Expansion joint in RCC accommodates

1. Aonly shear design✓
2. Bthermal/volume changes✓
3. Conly zero movement✓
4. Donly prestress only✓

Construction joint is

1. Adesign crack always✓
2. Bplanned stop in concreting with proper bond preparation✓
3. Conly rust on steel✓
4. Donly paint line✓

Honeycombing in concrete is

1. Ahigh strength always✓
2. Bonly steel defect✓
3. Conly correct cover✓
4. Dvoids due to poor compaction✓

Segregation in fresh concrete is

1. Auniform mix always✓
2. Bseparation of coarse aggregate and mortar✓
3. Conly curing issue only✓
4. Donly formwork oil✓

Bleeding in concrete is

1. Awater rising to surface✓
2. Bsteel corrosion only✓
3. Conly form removal time✓
4. Donly bolt tension✓

Curing of concrete maintains

1. Adry surface always✓
2. Bzero moisture✓
3. Cmoisture and temperature for hydration✓
4. Donly vibration during setting only✓

Modulus of elasticity of concrete Ec per IS 456 is about

1. Afck only✓
2. B5000√fck N/mm²✓
3. C0.87 fy✓
4. DEs always✓

All reinforcement shall be

1. Amild steel only always✓
2. Bwithout any lap✓
3. Cclearly identifiable grade and free from harmful coatings✓
4. Dwithout cover✓

High yield deformed bars improve

1. Abond with concrete due to ribs✓
2. Bonly reduce strength✓
3. Conly zero bond✓
4. Donly smooth surface✓

Splicing of tension bars not allowed in

1. Acompression zone always✓
2. Bzero stress zone only always wrong✓
3. Cmaximum moment zones unless code exceptions✓
4. Deverywhere freely without rules✓

Clear cover is measured from

1. Aconcrete face to nearest bar surface✓
2. Bcentre of beam to centre of bar only always✓
3. Csoil level✓
4. Dformwork outside face without concrete✓

Nominal mix proportion M20 may be approx

1. A1:10:20 steel✓
2. B1:1.5:3 cement:fine:coarse by volume (indicative)✓
3. Czero cement✓
4. Donly water✓

Durability exposure class severe requires

1. Ahigher grade concrete and cover✓
2. Blower cover always✓
3. Czero cement✓
4. Donly timber form✓

Alkali-aggregate reaction causes

1. Aonly steel yield✓
2. Bonly higher fy✓
3. Cexpansive cracking in concrete✓
4. Donly zero shrinkage✓

Sulphate attack on concrete is mitigated by

1. Ahigh w/c always✓
2. Bsulphate-resisting cement and low w/c✓
3. Czero cover✓
4. Donly smooth bars✓

Carbonation reduces

1. Aconcrete strength always increases✓
2. Bonly aggregate size✓
3. Calkalinity leading to steel depassivation✓
4. Donly slump only✓

Design of staircase waist slab treats it as

1. Aonly axial column✓
2. Bonly truss✓
3. Conly retaining stem without load✓
4. Dsimply supported or continuous inclined slab✓

Flat slab system omits

1. Acolumns entirely✓
2. Bbeams with column supporting slab directly✓
3. Cconcrete entirely✓
4. Dall reinforcement✓